R heart gue
by QuasiAngel
Summary: Bobby writes a letter to a girl that is for his eyes only... Guess who finds it. One Shot


"R-heart-g-u-e" by QuasiAngel  
  
Note: This is something small I came up with while working on my other fics. I needed a little break. It's Rogue/Bobby. kind of.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the story.  
  
--  
  
I didn't mean to leave it in such an obvious place. Not many people would call your pocket an obvious place, but when someone else does your laundry, it is. I only realized it was missing when I saw Kitty emerge from the laundry room with an envelope in her hand. She had a mischievous smile on her face as she ran upstairs with her find.  
  
I was stupid for putting her name on it. So I knew when Kitty took off up the stairs, she would give it to her. I followed her, of course. I listened from the hallway, behind a heavy column.  
  
"Hey Rogue! Like, look what I found?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's an envelope with, like, your name on it."  
  
"You been goin' though mah mail?"  
  
"No, I found it in one of the laundry baskets. I had laundry duty tonight."  
  
I sucked in my breath. I was very ready to jump out of my hiding place and bust in that room and grab it. Of course it would be obvious it was mine even though they didn't read the name on the bottom of the page inside.  
  
"Gimme it!"  
  
"Like, only if you read it out loud."  
  
"It's obviously for meh. Why do you care what's in it?"  
  
"Because the 'O' in your name is a little heart. R-HEART-G-U-E. It's got to be a love letter or something."  
  
There was a long silence. I swallowed.  
  
"So, will you read it?"  
  
"No, Ah will not! Come on, Kitty."  
  
"Not until you promise."  
  
"With holdin' mail is a federal offense."  
  
"It didn't pass through the hands of the United States Postal Service. So like, technically it's mine. Finder keepers!"  
  
"Well, Ah'll just have t'get it from yah then!"  
  
I heard clothes rustling and a few squeals. Man, I wish I could be there to watch.  
  
"You can't, like, catch me. I'll just phase through you."  
  
"Fahne! Ah'll read it out loud. Brat!"  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Yeah, now gimme it!"  
  
Here's the moment of truth; I didn't want my guts to be spilled to her, at least not like this. And in front of her friend, for God's sakes! I heard her tear the envelope and take the paper out. I had to do something!  
  
"Dear Rogue, Ah."  
  
"Rogue!"  
  
"Bobby?"  
  
"Like, you don't know how to knock?"  
  
I noticed Rogue had her hands behind her back. I had to get it from her.  
  
"Um, Scott. Yeah, Scott said he needed you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Something about class tomorrow, I think."  
  
"Duty calls," she stood up and turned away from me. I heard her fold the paper and it looked like she had tucked it under her belt. Dammit!  
  
"Ah'll be back Kitty," she walked towards the door, to where I stood, "And if yah do that again without knockin', Ah'm gonna knock you!"  
  
I saluted, "Yes ma'am!"  
  
I released a sigh of relief and relaxed a little. Then I heard a foot tapping on the floor.  
  
"You can, like, leave now, Bobby."  
  
"Oh, of course Kitty. I guess I'll be seeing you around then," he backed out of the room awkwardly.  
  
"Weirdo," and she slammed the door.  
  
Phase one complete. That was a close one! Now to find Rogue and figure out how I'm going get that letter from her. I wasn't exactly sure where Scott was, but I'm hoping he's in his room. I was halfway down the hall when I came face-to-face with a very angry Rogue.  
  
"Just the rat Ah was lookin' for!" she grabbed me by my collar, "Scott didn't need me. What are yah up to, Drake?"  
  
I was about 4 inches from her face. Her breath smelled like after-dinner mints and her hair smelled like green tea. Those were the little things that lead to the letter. Her fist got tighter around my shirt and she pulled me 2 inches closer.  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
"You know me, Rogue. Always a jokester," I laughed. You know the laugh, the awkward kind.  
  
"You're more creative than this."  
  
"I guess I'm losing my touch."  
  
She let me go, gave me one of her sweet smiles and- Oh my God, I think she just gave me 'bed-room' eyes! I'm going faint.  
  
"Well, you go work on it. Ah've got studyin' to do," she left me standing there.  
  
"Okay Rogue. I'll go work on that. I'll make you proud," I am such a dork. Now what? I went looking for her to get that letter and what do I do? I make an ass of myself. See what women do to me?  
  
What to do? What to do? Follow her. Yes! Follow her. I can't just sit around in the shadows and jump out when she tries to read it. I need a plan. And I think I know what that plan shall be. First, I have to find her.  
  
Her room? No. The kitchen? No. The dinning room? No. By the pool? No. The study? Duh. Where else would she go to study?  
  
"Hey Rogue. What'cha doing?"  
  
She seemed to jump when I called out to her. I don't blame her. The room was dark, quiet and empty. Just her, some books, and a single lamp.  
  
"What do you want, Bobby?"  
  
I took a seat next to her, and she turned towards me. We were closer than two friends should have been. Strange. In most cases, she would have backed up or something. Our knees were touching and Rogue would never have that.  
  
"I need some help."  
  
"With?"  
  
I had to stall for a second or two. I had to think of something. I had to-  
  
"Ah don't got all day."  
  
"Oh, yeah. You know that dance next month?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow, "Yes."  
  
"Well, I was thinking of asking somebody and I need your help."  
  
She didn't look surprised, "You want me to ask her, don't you?"  
  
"No way! Me? The Iceman?"  
  
She smiled that smile that I love so much, "You're so suave, Bobby Drake."  
  
I shrugged, "That's me!"  
  
"What do yah need from me then?"  
  
"I'm kind of embarrassed by the whole thing, but I need help-" I took a deep breath and swallowed hard, "Slow dancing."  
  
She suddenly backed away and turned towards the table. Something I said bothered her and I don't know why, "What did I say?"  
  
"Nothing. Ah can't help you. Go ask Jean or Kitty or somebody."  
  
"Rogue?" I tried to reach out and touch her arm, but she flinched and tucked it under the table.  
  
"Leave me alone, Drake!"  
  
Something was definitely wrong here, "Rogue, please. You ca-"  
  
"No, Ah can't! Yah wanna know why? Because the last guy Ah danced with ended up in a coma for 2 days! Satisfied?"  
  
I had no idea. I'm such an idiot!  
  
"It was the first time mah powers emerged. Ah was careless. Ah ended up thinkin' Cody was me and Mystique was somebody else," she turned to me with pain in her eyes, "Ah don't wanna hurt you, Bobby."  
  
"Rogue," I took her hand and stood up, "You're not going to hurt me. Look at you! You're covered. I'll be fine."  
  
She gave me a little smile, "You really need mah help that bad?"  
  
I nodded and she stood up.  
  
"You desperate or something?"  
  
I pulled her closer to me with my arm around her waist and other hand holding hers. She hesitantly placed her free hand on my shoulder and stepped a little closer.  
  
"You've got class, Rogue. A beautiful Southern Belle like yourself; of course I'd come to you first," damn, I'm smooth.  
  
"Smooth, Bobby Drake. Real smooth."  
  
"That's why they call me Iceman!"  
  
We were silent for quite a bit. We danced in slow circles to the silent tune in our heads. The smell of her hair and the feel of her body was bliss. I have never been this close to her before. Hell, I'm not sure if any man has gotten this close to her.  
  
She cocked her head a bit and smirked, "So, yah needed mah help? Yah seem to be doin' fahne."  
  
Uh oh! Caught! I moved my hand and that's when I felt it. The NOTE! Now I remember; she had tucked it neatly on the inside of her belt. I removed it quickly with just my index finger, slipped it in the cuff of my shirt and backed off.  
  
"Well, I guess I'm a natural."  
  
"Yeah raght, Bobby. Get outta here. Ah got work to do."  
  
I expected her to have a look of rage plastered all over her face, but it wasn't there. Instead it was a look of disappointment. Damn, I AM smooth.  
  
"Um, okay Rogue. I guess I'll see you later then. Have fun studying, or whatever!"  
  
She sat back down in her chair and turned towards her book, "Yeah, yeah."  
  
Home free! I practically skipped out of that room. I was at the door when I hear her speak something I recognized all too well, and it wasn't the 'National Anthem'.  
  
"Dear Rogue. I don't know what's gotten into me. I figured I'd write it down because I'm too chicken-shit to tell you. It's been a heavy weight hovering over my chest and I need to let it out. I don't expect this ever to fall into your hands so I'm going to spill it all. Here it goes: I don't know you very well and I know you don't know me, but I'd like that to change. I have watched you walk, talk, eat, drink, read, draw, fight, and all sorts of other things and from that, I feel that I know you well enough to know how I feel about you. I think I love you. I know what you are thinking: 'You are too young to know what love is' or 'You hardly know me' or the classic 'Ah can't touch people'. Well, I don't care. I am old enough to know how I feel and I have never felt like this before. Whenever I see you, my frozen heart melts. Call it dorky, call it obsessive, call it sick, but it's not going to change anytime soon! XOXOXO, Bobby Drake."  
  
I froze! Not literally, but I still couldn't move. It was like I was numb. I thought I had the note.  
  
"You took the copy, Bobby. Ah have the original raght here."  
  
I swallowed hard and turned slowly.  
  
"Please tell me this is some kind of joke," she paused for what seemed like hours, "Please!"  
  
It was hard to look into her eyes. The pain and confusion was so deep, I could have drowned in it.  
  
"It has to be a joke, Bobby. You know Ah can't-"  
  
"Don't you dare tell me what you can't do! You can't live your life thinking people don't want to get close to you! I am-"  
  
"They can't get close to me!"  
  
I saw a tear for a split second and then it was gone. Brushed away by her covered hand.  
  
"Look, I can't help it if that's the way I feel. I can't turn it off, just like you can't turn your powers off! What am I supposed to do? Just ignore it because you can't touch?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It's harder than you think it is."  
  
"Hard? Who dare you say something like that! You can easily fall out of love with me and find some other girl. A girl you can touch, hug, kiss. Ah can never do those things! Ah can't fall out of my mutation. At least you'll have a chance. For me, it's hopeless."  
  
I shut my eyes. I didn't want to see her face and I don't think I deserved to see it, either. As shallow as she made it sound, she was right. What was I thinking? I should have just fallen for Jean or Kitty or Jubes, but NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO. I had to fall for the Rogue.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry for putting you through this, Rogue."  
  
"It's okay, Ah understand. Sometimes Ah have to remind myself of my condition."  
  
She had a bittersweet smile on her face now.  
  
"So, are we going to pretend like this never happened?"  
  
"Yeah Bobby, we are."  
  
I walked back over to her and put my hands on her shoulders.  
  
"If you could touch people, would you have reconsidered you decision?"  
  
She tilted her head and her hair laid perfectly over the back of my hand and the side of her face followed. The feel and smell of her hair and the weight of her caress against my skin was nerve wracking. Stop shaking, Bobby! Stop shaking! Suddenly she picked up that lovely head of hers and turned to smile at me.  
  
"Get lost, Bobby."  
  
"Right! Getting lost," I picked my hands up off of her shoulders and turned to leave, "You're not going to tell anyone about the note, right?"  
  
"What note?"  
  
Even though it was hard to keep the tears back, I still had to smile.  
  
--  
  
The End. 


End file.
